I will be having a thyroidectomy soon. I have heard one persons story and would like to hear mor about the surgery and recovery. I am really trying to stay positive. I am terrified though. So any input would be great and I hope soothing for me as I get closer to having my TT. Thank you.

Kerri

kcmynatt

04-19-2008 03:57 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Sorry I should let you know that I have 3 nodules one in each lode and 1 on the isthmus. I was also wondering about medication...If I could get some information on that it would be great. Thank you again.

Kerri

osteoblast

04-19-2008 04:32 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Good luck to you with your surgery. I too live in the area. By any chance is your surgeon a woman ent at Polyclinic. If so, I have heard great things about her. What size are your nodules? Did you have an fna?Could I ask why they decided on TT? I am wondering if the endo is going to suggest TT for me due to 7 nodules 2-8mm. and some lymph gland involvement. I have hashi's. Do you have hashi's or was it just the nodules and no thyroid dysfunction?I have read how impt. it is to have a very experienced surgeon to eliminate certain risks to parathyroid glands and laryngeal nerve. Did the dr. talk to you about those risks and put them into perspective? I believe that in the hands of an experienced surgeon those risks are about 1%-this is what I have read .

kcmynatt

04-20-2008 10:02 AM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

I am in Seattle. I am going to an endo on the East side in Bellevue. He is great. I am meeting with 2 different surgeons this week. Both come highly recommended.
I did have a FNA on one of the nodules in Jan of 07. It came back as a Hurthle Cell not cancer though. The problem is they all have a grown in the last year. All three of them have grown about 1 cm. They all are about 3.5cm. I have 1 nodule in each lobe and 1 on the isthmus. I also have hyperthyroidism.
I have a whole list of questions for the doctors this week. What I have read about the calcium problem....I believe that happens more than 1%. In fact with a TT, it is a common occurance. I am more worried about the nerve damage. I do not want to wake up with a trach tube.:(
That is why I am looking for info from people who have had the surgery. Just want to try to be prepared. I know everyone is different. :)

Kerri

osteoblast

04-20-2008 10:30 AM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Hopefully you will have some response from people who have had the TT. It sounds like you have read something/heard something different than the 1% risks that I read about. When you get better info on these risks after your appts, could you share that info?The tracheotomy is something I had not even heard about before, and would of course cause alot of concern.Are you certain that each nodule is 3.5 cm , that would be over an inch and a half for each one? Are you saying that they grew an additional 1cm each, in just the past 12 months? Was your endo having u/s on a 6 mo basis or an annual basis? Again, I hope someone with the surgery will surface. I know that there have been some threads on TT issues before and you may want to search this board.

kcmynatt

04-20-2008 11:12 AM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Yes they all grew 1cm in a year. That is why my endo said they must come out and I am so scared they all might be cancer. I will discuss all of the concerns I have about surgery with the surgeon on Monday and then another surgeon on Tuesday. I will be happy to share with you all the information given by them. :)

Kerri

shastaw

04-20-2008 05:57 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

[QUOTE=kcmynatt;3537833]I will be having a thyroidectomy soon. I have heard one persons story and would like to hear mor about the surgery and recovery. I am really trying to stay positive. I am terrified though. So any input would be great and I hope soothing for me as I get closer to having my TT. Thank you.

Kerri[/QUOTE]

I am also having a TT April 28 to remove a 6cm nodule.Like you I am terrified, when is your surgery? I hope everything goes well for you,keep us posted.;)

Shasta

kcmynatt

04-21-2008 09:46 AM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Shastaw,
I am meeting with two surgeons this week. One today and another tomorrow. I know it is very important to have a great surgeon. I will keep you up to date. Please let me know how your surgery goes. I am sure mine will be after yours. We haven't even set the date, but my endo said these nodules must come out now. I guess mine will be the first of May maybe the end of April. I just want to get it over with. I am so stressed out about the surgery!:confused:

To top my stress off I am in the mortgage business.....that should say it all.:( Please keep in touch.

Kerri

mkgbrook

04-21-2008 10:02 AM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Reece is a good one that hopefully will pop in.

Advice from my mom who had a PT and two aunts after TTs. They ddin't get technical.. not their style.. they just shared general feelings and trends.

The drainage tube makes you feel like you have continual sweat dripping down your busom crevice.. do not look DOWN or up or make any sharp turns of the head.. Dab with clean tissue, toss the tissue and never reuse. Have someone ready to fetch and carry for you and prepare to walk and move about like you have a plank affixed from bottom to the back of your neck. :D You gotta love them.

If all goes well you will be able to eat normally and talk, as soon as you awake. Your voice may or may not get tired easily.

Make sure that you have a good recliner to sleep in.. because you do not want to lie flat for a few days.. it makes you feel like you are ripping at the throat.. you aren't it is just an odd feeling they all had.

Be prepared for lymph node swelling and irritation for at least 2 weeks. After 2 weeks you are going to feel hypoT hades.. unless you had a hot nodes and they left one to see to your needs then you will be ready to dance a jig.

After two weeks when the hypoT symptoms emerge in force... you should see if you can start wit 25 or 50 mcgs of T4 and begin 2 week titration intervals to 100 mcgs. Waiting 4- 8 weeks is just torture. Have the Ca and K and PTH levels checked at 2 weeks.

Over all my mom and aunts shopped around. One used an academic surgeon that specialized in brain and throat surgeries. The others used ENT that had FNA guided US devices in house and spent two days with thyroid patients a week. One day for consults and visits one for surgeries. Most also had access to and used laser surgery techniques. All of my family were Ca and K issues free. I am hoping to get mine out soon. I will let you know my ENT's take on things. That will be May or June.

MG

Reece

04-21-2008 07:02 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Kerri,

Sounds like in your case, it's best to get the surgery, and find the best, most experienced you can find, as this is not an emergency, and you can take the time to get the best.

I had my surgery for thyroid cancer 3 years ago. It was a really easy surgery (I had a terrific surgeon, actually a thyroid specialist), and was up and about immediately, and healing was pretty easy, no real pain, just a sore throat.

I live fine without my thyroid, am on synthroid, and haven't had any issues since.

Wishing you an easy and successful surgery!

kcmynatt

04-22-2008 06:11 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

I met with both surgeons. I have decided to go with the first one I spoke with. She was great. She sat there for 40 minutes and answered every question I had in detail.

This is what she explained to me....I would come to the hospital the morning of surgery (May 6th) I would be given something to help relax me upon arrival (thank god). I would meet with the aneth. doc (sp) and he and I would discuss the fact I DO NOT want to be sick after surgery! She said they will use the patch behind my ear also, this along with lots of medicine they have to treat PONV.

The surgery will last anywhere from 1.5 - 2 hours. I will have a drainage tube for about the 1st 24 hours. She said the pain upon waking is anywhere from mild to moderate(I have a high pain level). I had surgery once for an ectopic and also had a tubaligation (sp) with hulka clips. They came in with a pain shot after surgery and I refused it. I hate the medicine It makes me sick. I hope I can just take tylenol. She said I could and they would give me a liquid.

We discussed the complacations (sp) and her rate is very low. She said if there are no complacations I would just stay overnight in the hospital. They would monitor my calicum levels every 6 hours. If I have a problem with that I could stay a few more days.

When I got to her office yesterday afternoon my bloodpressure was 177/100. I am so scared and I told her that more than once. She was very understanding. I also noticed while I was in her office that there were 3 magazine covers in frames. They were "The Best Doctors Nationwide" she was voted the best head & neck surgeon for 05, 06 & 07. I really feel I am in good hands. Seattle is a great place for medicine. I realized that while my sister went through all of her treatments.

So now I have to hope and pray that I do not have a stroke before they put me under!:) I hate to even think what my blood pressure will be the day of surgery.:( I keep saying stay positive, stay positive! I am still scared!!!!!

Please I hope people still post their stories with their TT to help me with mine. Thank you for your input!

Kerri

Remember
May 6th
May 6th
May 6th

osteoblast

04-22-2008 07:10 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

kcmy-Sounds like you are going to my ent. I see the female ent at poly in seattle. And, if I do have a TT-I will have her do it. What did she say about her complication rate?
ps-the magazines I saw in the office on the wall were local Seattle Metro mag covers not national.

mkgbrook

04-22-2008 07:12 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

I am curious as well. Mine has a very low complication rate and I would like to know if it is comparable.

MG

osteoblast

04-22-2008 07:27 PM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Sorry to hear you were so stressed at the appt. If your bp is usually considered in normal range , then you were probably just having extreme anxiety. You might want to talk to your pcp to get something to relax you if you are really stressing out now before the surgery.Of course you would want to clear it with the ent if you are going to take anything for nerves the day/night before your surgery.
I can run a really high bp at the doctor's, though normal at home. I used to just gut it through, but now my endo wants me to try to avoid these anxiety spikes for the sake of my very ailing thyroid. My pcp scripted xanax to just take on an as needed basis at a really really low dose.Although endo wanted it on a regular dose. And, it helps alot. I think most people wouldn't even feel this dose. Like you , I am very affected by meds and never want any or only as little as possible. But it does help for dr. appts. and diagnostic work.
I wish you the best of luck on your surgery! Please keep us posted. I am anticipating thryoid surgery and I would have it done by the same dr that I believe you are seeing. So please let me know if she continues to be as kind and caring as she was at your first appt. I also know someone else who will have surgery with her shortly for hyperpara. This person was also very impressed with the dr.
Is it general anesthetic that you will have ? I also get really sick with anesthetic even when not general. It took me days to feel normal after my colonoscopy-my brain just couldn't re-focus. I think I had a very bad reaction to what I was given.
It sounds like you will not see the dr. again before surgery. How long did she think it would be till you were up and around as usual?
What did she say about the risks to your parathyroid glands? Also what did she say about laryngeal nerve risk? Also did you talk to her about your concern of a tracheotomy?

kcmynatt

04-23-2008 08:31 AM

Re: Thyroidectomy Coming Up Input Please

Osteo,
The ENT I am seeing is Dr. Jennifer Heydt. She is on the Eastside. I looked at doctors and asked about doctors in Seattle like at Fred Hutch, Swedish & U of W. [U]She and one other came highly recommened[/U]. I met with both and I decided to go with her. She is out of the Overlake Hospital in Bellevue.

I will be under general. She told me me if everything goes ok I would be out of the hospital the next day. Her complication rate is lower then the national average. [U]She has never had a laryngeal nerve damage[/U]! She has had a parathyroid (calcium). She said she has only had one patient that had it for 6 months. She has never had a permanent calcium issue.

Her magazines were Doctors Nationwide. Even if I had not seen those....she is still very impressive and I believe I will get the best care.